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Directions: In this section, you will hear two long conversations. At the end of each conversation, you will hear four questions. Both the conversation and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
1. A）The formation of the Larsen Ice Shelf.
B）The breaking off of the Larsen Ice Shelf.
C）A climate experiment in Antarctica.
D）An expedition in Antarctica.
2. A）They could be a sign of global warming.
B）They refute current scientific theories.
C）They have disturbed Antarctic bird habitats.
D）They have destroyed research facilities.
3. A）No melting has been observed by scientists for years.
B）Nothing unusual has happened in other parts of Antarctica.
C）The ice shelf remains intact for ages despite the weather.
D）The past several winters have been unusually severe.
4. A）Warmer water temperature.
B）A rise in ocean level.
C）Less marine life.
D）Colder winters.
Questions 5 to 8 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
5. A）Because he wants to order a design software.
B）Because he needs assistance in installing the software.
C）Because he wants to complain about the service.
D）Because he wants to ask about his order.
6. A）The man offered a wrong tracking number.
B）The items the man ordered were delayed in transit.
C）The order was canceled by the man’s company.
D）The man ordered the wrong type of products.
7. A）He has to reschedule the shipping date.
B）He wants to know about the compensation.
C）He needs to make a new order.
D）He has to rearrange the assignment to designers.
8. A）Talk with the supervisor of the woman.
B）Check if the supervisor is available.
C）Talk with the woman about the compensation.
D）Authorize his staff to make a new order.
Directions: In this section, you will hear two passages. At the end of each passage, you will hear three or four questions. Both the passage and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.
Questions 9 to 11 are based on the passage you have just heard.
9. A）It was founded by Bill Gates together with Alzheimer.
B）It is one of Bill Gates’ charitable organizations.
C）Most of its funds come from businesses in London.
D）It aims to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
10. A）Scientists have found the way to prevent the disease.
B）The treatment to the disease can be found in 10 years.
C）Drugs existed can only ease some symptoms of the disease.
D）The progression of the disease can be slowed down.
11. A）Because he is losing his mental ability as he grows old.
B）Because he takes it as his mission to cure the disease.
C）Because the research has achieved little so far.
D）Because he loses his friend to this disease.
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
12. A）They have enrolled more students than last year.
B）They have made few changes to deal with the infections.
C）They have dismissed some teachers to cut costs.
D）They have hired more substitute teachers.
13. A）Because their schools can replace in-person courses with online classes.
B）Because Baltimore witnessed few severe outbreaks of COVID-19.
C）Because their schools have more access to rapid COVID-19 tests.
D）Because they think the disruptions would be limited later.
14. A）Higher salaries are offered to attract the teachers.
B）Office workers are asked to give lessons sometimes.
C）All the important courses are taught online.
D）Extracurricular activities are canceled temporarily.
15. A）Students in poor neighborhood had the chance to learn better.
B）Students in rich communities cannot afford more online courses.
C）Students had poorer achievement by studying online.
D）Students in high-poverty schools had better achievement.
Directions: In this section, you will hear three recordings of lectures or talks followed by three or four questions. The recordings will be played only once. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A）, B）, C）and D）. Then mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.
Questions 16 to 18 are based on the recording you have just heard.
16. A）Because it is the only existed Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
B）Because it is the largest pyramid-shaped structure.
C）Because it is arranged with astronomical significance.
D）Because it is built with simple tools to geometrical perfection.
17. A）Because they worshiped stars that circle the sky polar point.
B）Because they associated the king’s afterlife with the north stars.
C）Because they believed the king would become the god of north.
D）Because they wanted to combat the darkness of the north.
18. A）Good human qualities.
B）Logic and reason.
C）The goddess of wisdom.
D）Geometry and physics.
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
19. A）The education of 10-year-old children.
B）The gender equality in developing countries.
C）Health and happiness of 10-year-old girls.
D）The number of educated young girls.
20. A）Because they live in a threatening environment.
B）Because they have no say in their own futures.
C）Because their horizons are not wide enough.
D）Because they are married off at a very young age.
21. A）Poor investment in education would result in poverty.
B）Gender inequality in workplaces leads to poverty.
C）Families with girls would be likely to suffer poverty.
D）Failure to invest in girls means poverty in the future.
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the recording you have just heard.
22. A）The psychological effects of WWI on soldiers.
B）The effects of WWI on American economy and its people.
C）The influence of WWI on American industries.
D）The relationship between WWI and WWII.
23. A）It compelled women to join the workforce after the war.
B）It made middle-class males be afraid to join the army.
C）It caused widowed women to join peace movements.
D）It was greater than that of all previous wars combined.
24. A）To explain the stigma associated with having fought in the war.
B）To give an example of one reaction of Americans towards war.
C）To emphasize the difficulty of recovering from mental disorder.
D）To provide background for the discussion on mental illness.
25. A）The success in the international markets.
B）The victories in WWI.
C）The decline in unemployment.
D）The success in economic affairs.
M: （1） Dr. White, we recently learned that a large piece of the Larsen Ice Shelf in western Antarctica broke off in early January. Could you please tell us exactly what happened?
W: I’d be happy to. Scientists had been observing the Larsen ice shelf in the Antarctic Peninsula for several years, when suddenly, it disintegrated in a mere 35 days. The ice shelf lost 1,255 square miles, sending a fleet of icebergs into the Weddell Sea. More recently and quite alarming to scientists is that a 40-mile crack, some 30 feet wide in places, has torn through the ice shelf.
M: I understand that the scientific community is quite concerned. （2） What is the significance of these events?
W: （2） Well, some scientists believe that this is a clear sign of global warming. Back in 1978, some American researchers predicted that Antarctica would show early signs of global warming due to the greenhouse effect.
M: But couldn’t crumbling ice shelves also be a result of the unusual weather Antarctica itself has experienced lately?
W: （3） That’s certainly possible. But you have to remember that over the past thousands of years, ice shelves have been through a lot of weather changes without breaking up. Remember, too, that although ice shelves float on the ocean, they’re attached to the continent and can be as thick as a thousand feet.
M: I think most people know that if the ice cap over Antarctic melts, the level of the oceans will rise. What sort of impact will this have?
W: （4） Well, the ice shelves currently insulate the Antarctic continent from wind, which slows down melting. But without ice shelves to cool the wind, it will be warmer than usual as it blows over Antarctica. If the wind cause even a tenth of the continent’s ice cap to melt, the world’s ocean could rise as much as 30 feet.
答案解析
1. A）The formation of the Larsen Ice Shelf.
B）The breaking off of the Larsen Ice Shelf.
C）A climate experiment in Antarctica.
D）An expedition in Antarctica.
Q: What are the two speakers mainly discussing?
A）拉森冰架的形成。
B）拉森冰架的崩塌。
C）一次南极气象实验。
D）一次南极考察。
问题： 两位说话人主要在探讨什么？
解析 在对话开头，男士说最近得知南极洲西部的拉森冰架的一大块崩塌了，他想向女士请教一下到底发生了什么事。后文也围绕着冰架消融展开，由此可知，选项B符合对话的主题，为答案。
2. A）They could be a sign of global warming.
B）They refute current scientific theories.
C）They have disturbed Antarctic bird habitats.
D）They have destroyed research facilities.
Q: Why are the events related to the Larsen Ice Shelf important according to the woman?
A）它们可能是全球气候变暖的征兆。
B）它们驳斥了最近的一些科学理论。
C）它们干扰了南极洲鸟类的栖息地。
D）它们破坏了研究设备。
问题： 根据女士所说，为什么和拉森冰架相关的这些事件很重要？
解析 对话中，女士对南极洲西部的拉森冰架崩塌做了具体描述，且认为这些事件有重大意义，指出一些科学家认为它们是全球变暖的明显征兆。早在1978年，就有科学家预言南极洲因为温室效应会出现全球变暖的早期征兆，这次事件印证了这个预测，由此可知，选项A的表述与对话内容相符合，为答案。
3. A）No melting has been observed by scientists for years.
B）Nothing unusual has happened in other parts of Antarctica.
C）The ice shelf remains intact for ages despite the weather.
D）The past several winters have been unusually severe.
Q: Why doesn’t the woman believe that weather is responsible for the crumbling of ice shelves?
A）科学家们多年来都未观察到冰架融化。
B）南极洲其他地方都没有异常情况发生。
C）不管天气如何，冰架多年来都没有变化。
D）过去这几年冬天的天气异常恶劣。
问题： 为什么女士认为天气不是造成冰架崩塌的原因？
解析 当男士问到冰架的崩塌有没有可能与南极洲最近的异常天气有关时，女士回答说虽然有可能，但是过去的几千年里冰架经历过各种天气变化却没有发生过崩塌，言外之意就是她认为天气变化并不是造成崩塌的原因，故选项C为答案。
4. A）Warmer water temperature.
B）A rise in ocean level.
C）Less marine life.
D）Colder winters.
Q: What would be the result of melting of the ice cap?
A）水温的升高。
B）海平面上升。
C）海洋生物减少。
D）更寒冷的冬季。
问题： 冰盖的融化可能会造成什么后果？
解析 对话中，女士提到冰架可以为南极大陆挡住来自风中的热量并使融化速度减缓，但是风如果不再有冰架去冷却，那么刮到南极的风的温度就更高，这样的风如果让南极大陆上的冰盖融化十分之一，那么全球的海平面就会上涨30英尺，由此可知，答案应是选项B。
词汇点拨
ice shelf 冰架
Antarctica n. 南极洲
disintegrate v. 崩溃；瓦解
iceberg n. 冰山
crack n. 裂缝；裂纹
crumble v. 崩裂；（使）粉碎
insulate v. 使隔热；使不受影响
W: Good afternoon and thank you for calling GlobalCom’s customer hotline. My name is Gloria. How can I be of assistance?
M: Hi, Gloria. My name is Bob Johnson and I’m calling from New York. （5） My company ordered six packs of Pro 7 design software from your firm, but it has now been a week past the date the items were expected to arrive.
W: Okay, sir… do you have the tracking number we sent you by e-mail when you first made the order?
M: Yes, I do, and I also have the order number. The tracking number is S317 and the original order number was 81635K.
W: Okay, please wait one second while I try to find your order… （6） Alright, I found your order number. Well, it says here that the order was canceled. The items were scheduled to be shipped, but for some reason, a last-minute notation indicates the customer asked to cancel.
M: Well, I’m the customer and I certainly didn’t ask to cancel. These software packets are very important to our company. We were scheduled to begin operations of a new design department, but because the items haven’t arrived, I’ve got 10 designers sitting around with nothing to do.
W: I apologize for the mix-up, sir. Would you like me to reschedule a shipping date?
M: （7） Yes, but I think there really should be some form of compensation for this error. I was reading the fine print in your customer contract and it says that if items don’t arrive within the scheduled time, compensation will be paid.
W: I’m sorry, sir… but I am not authorized to offer any compensation at this time.
M: Then who would be authorized to do so?
W: （8） You would have to talk with my supervisor.
M: Okay, then, is your supervisor currently available?
W: Please hold on for a little moment.
答案解析
5. A）Because he wants to order a design software.
B）Because he needs assistance in installing the software.
C）Because he wants to complain about the service.
D）Because he wants to ask about his order.
Q: Why does the man call the customer hotline?
A）因为他想订一种设计软件。
B）因为他需要帮助来安装软件。
C）因为他想要投诉服务。
D）因为他想查询他的订单。
问题： 为什么男士打了顾客热线？
解析 对话中，男士提到他的公司订了6套设计软件，但是现在已超过约定收货时间一周了，物品还未到，所以致电询问，由此可知，选项D表述的就是他打电话的原因，故为答案。
6. A）The man offered a wrong tracking number.
B）The items the man ordered were delayed in transit.
C）The order was canceled by the man’s company.
D）The man ordered the wrong type of products.
Q: What does the woman say about the man’s failure to receive the items?
A）男士提供的查询号是错误的。
B）男士订的物品在运输中延误了。
C）男士的公司取消了订单。
D）男士订了错误的货物型号。
问题： 对于男士未收到物品，女士说了什么？
解析 了解到男士的问题后，女士通过查找订单号发现货物本已安排运送，但是最后的记录显示是顾客取消了订单，由此可知，她认为没有收到订单物品是因为男士的公司取消了订单，故答案为C。
7. A）He has to reschedule the shipping date.
B）He wants to know about the compensation.
C）He needs to make a new order.
D）He has to rearrange the assignment to designers.
Q: Why does the man check the contract again?
A）他要重新安排发货日期。
B）他想了解赔偿问题。
C）他需要下一个新订单。
D）他要为设计师重新安排任务。
问题： 为什么男士又查看了合同？
解析 对话中，男士认为对方公司针对此类失误应该是有赔偿的，因此他正在读客户合同中的细则，其中提到如果货物未按期送达要进行赔偿，由此可知选项B符合对话描述，为答案。
8. A）Talk with the supervisor of the woman.
B）Check if the supervisor is available.
C）Talk with the woman about the compensation.
D）Authorize his staff to make a new order.
Q: What would the man probably do next?
A）和女士的主管谈一谈。
B）看看那位主管是否有空。
C）和女士就赔偿问题进行商谈。
D）授权他的员工下一个新订单。
问题： 男士接下来可能会做什么？
解析 对话的最后，女士提到自己没有谈赔偿问题的权限，所以建议男士去和她的上司谈，之后男士问到她的上司现在是否有空，由此可知，接下来他很有可能会找她的上司谈赔偿问题，故选项A为答案。
词汇点拨
tracking number （快递）追踪号；查询号
notation n. 标记；注释
mix-up n. 混乱；杂乱
compensation n. 赔偿金；补偿
fine print （合同、协议的）附属细则
authorize v. 批准；授权
Billionaire Bill Gates has made a $100-million investment to help researchers find a cure for Alzheimer’s. The brain disease causes people to slowly lose their memory and mental abilities as they grow old.
（9） Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, he has given $50 million to the Dementia Discovery Fund. The London-based fund aims to bring business and government together to seek treatments for the brain-wasting disease. Another $50 million will go to start-up groups working in Alzheimer’s research, Gates says. The money is a personal donation and not from his charitable organization.
Dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is the most common form, affects close to 50 million people worldwide. It is expected to affect more than 131 million by the year 2050, the Alzheimer’s Disease International group says. （10） Despite many years of research, scientists have not found a treatment that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. Current drugs can do no more than ease some of the effects. But Gates said he is hopeful that treatments can be found, even if they might still be more than 10 years away. （11） He said Alzheimer’s became his mission partly for personal reasons, and partly because it has been so difficult to find effective treatment. Some men in his family have suffered from Alzheimer’s, he says.
In a blog post about the investments, Gates wrote, “I know how awful it is to watch people you love struggle as the disease robs them of their mental capacity. It feels a lot like you’re experiencing a gradual death of the person that you knew.”
答案解析
9. A）It was founded by Bill Gates together with Alzheimer.
B）It is one of Bill Gates’ charitable organizations.
C）Most of its funds come from businesses in London.
D）It aims to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease.
Q: What can be inferred about the Dementia Discovery Fund?
A）它是由比尔·盖茨和阿尔兹海默共同创建的。
B）它是比尔·盖茨慈善组织中的一个。
C）它的大多数资金都来自伦敦的各企业。
D）它的目标就是找到治愈阿尔兹海默症的方法。
问题： 关于痴呆症研究基金能推论出什么？
解析 短文第一句就提到比尔·盖茨拿出一亿美金用于帮助研究者找到治愈阿尔兹海默症的方法，其后详细介绍这笔资金中的五千万给了痴呆症研究基金，这个总部位于伦敦的基金会想要联合企业和政府的力量来寻找治愈这种脑损耗的疾病，即前文提到的阿尔兹海默症。由此可知，选项D为答案。文章提到这笔资金来自比尔·盖茨的个人捐款，并非来自他的慈善组织，可排除选项B；基金会的总部位于伦敦，并不是资金来源于伦敦的企业，排除选项C。
10. A）Scientists have found the way to prevent the disease.
B）The treatment to the disease can be found in 10 years.
C）Drugs existed can only ease some symptoms of the disease.
D）The progression of the disease can be slowed down.
Q: What is the finding of years of research on the brain-wasting disease?
A）科学家们已找到了预防此病的方法。
B）10年内就能找到治愈此病的方法。
C）现有的药物只能缓解此病的某些症状。
D）此病病情的发展可以延缓。
问题： 针对这种脑损耗疾病的多年研究有何发现？
解析 短文中提到尽管进行了多年的研究，但是科学家们仍未找到一种治疗方法可以延缓阿尔兹海默症的发展，目前的药物也只能减轻某些症状。由此可知，选项C的表述符合对话内容，故为答案。
11. A）Because he is losing his mental ability as he grows old.
B）Because he takes it as his mission to cure the disease.
C）Because the research has achieved little so far.
D）Because he loses his friend to this disease.
Q: Why did Bill Gates invest in the research on dementia?
A）因为他正随着年龄增长而失去心智能力。
B）因为他把治愈此病看成是自己的任务。
C）因为迄今为止该研究鲜有进展。
D）因为他有朋友死于这种疾病。
问题： 为什么比尔·盖茨要投资对痴呆症的研究？
解析 短文中提到比尔·盖茨自述做这件事的原因有两个，一方面是由于找到有效的治疗方法非常难，另一方面是因为他的家庭成员中有患阿尔兹海默症的。由此可见，只有选项C符合原文表述，故为答案。
词汇点拨
Alzheimer’s 阿尔兹海默症；痴呆症
dementia n. 痴呆（症）
charitable adj. 慈善的；仁慈的
blog post 博客帖子
As the start of the new school year gets closer, COVID-19 infections in some areas are again on the rise. （12） Some school systems around the country have moved to hire more workers to limit disruptions. But many are hoping for the best without doing things differently compared with last year.
Even some school systems that had severe outbreaks are making few changes. Among those is Baltimore County schools in the eastern state of Maryland. The number of days that Baltimore public schools could not offer in-person learning totaled 116 from January to June of this year. （13） School officials said they did not see a need to take more measures. Charles Herndon is a Baltimore County Public Schools spokesperson. He said he does not think there will be “significant” disruptions this coming school year.
But the school district is prepared to move classes online if necessary. Teacher shortages remain a major concern, even bigger than COVID-19 itself. （14） With shortages of substitute teachers, schools were forced to use central office workers, combine classrooms, or temporarily go online. Schools cannot afford more disruptions when many kids have fallen behind from the pandemic, said Thomas Kane, the education researcher at Harvard University. Students at schools in poor areas that were doing online learning for more than half a year lost equal to 22 weeks of learning, he said. Schools in wealthy neighborhoods lost only 13 weeks. （15） “We’ve experienced a historic widening in achievement gaps between blacks and whites, between Latinx students and whites, between high- and low-poverty schools,” he said.
答案解析
12. A）They have enrolled more students than last year.
B）They have made few changes to deal with the infections.
C）They have dismissed some teachers to cut costs.
D）They have hired more substitute teachers.
Q: How are most of the schools preparing for the new school year according to the passage?
A）相比去年它们招收了更多的学生。
B）它们几乎没有做任何改变去应对感染。
C）它们为了减少开支解雇了一些教师。
D）它们招聘了更多的代课教师。
问题： 根据短文所述，大部分的学校正在为新学年做何准备？
解析 短文中提到新学年临近，尽管新冠疫情又有抬头，一些学校为了减少停课而开始招募更多员工，但相比去年大多数学校没有做什么不同的举措，由此可知，选项B的内容符合短文描述，为答案。本题要注意题干中所问的是大多数学校，而选项D的内容是一些学校的做法，故排除D。
13. A）Because their schools can replace in-person courses with online classes.
B）Because Baltimore witnessed few severe outbreaks of COVID-19.
C）Because their schools have more access to rapid COVID-19 tests.
D）Because they think the disruptions would be limited later.
Q: Why did school officials in Baltimore see no need to take more measures to deal with disruptions?
A）因为他们的学校可以用线上课程代替当面授课。
B）因为巴尔的摩几乎没有经历过严重的新冠暴发。
C）因为他们的学校有更多渠道进行快速新冠检测。
D）因为他们认为之后停课次数会很有限。
问题： 为什么巴尔的摩各学校的官员们认为没有必要采取更多措施解决停课问题？
解析 短文中提到虽然巴尔的摩的学校上半年受疫情影响停课很久，但是学校官员认为没有必要采取更多应对措施，后面引用其中一位发言人的话，指出他认为新学年不会再有大规模的停课发生。故选项D为答案。
14. A）Higher salaries are offered to attract the teachers.
B）Office workers are asked to give lessons sometimes.
C）All the important courses are taught online.
D）Extracurricular activities are canceled temporarily.
Q: How do schools deal with the shortage of substitute teachers?
A）提供更高的工资来吸引教师。
B）办公室员工有时被要求去教课。
C）所有的重要课程都改为线上授课。
D）课外活动被临时取消。
问题： 学校是如何解决代课教师的短缺问题的？
解析 短文中提到由于代课老师短缺，有的学校被迫让办公室文员去上课，有的合并班级上课，有的临时安排线上课程，由此可知，选项B的内容符合短文描述，为答案。
15. A）Students in poor neighborhood had the chance to learn better.
B）Students in rich communities cannot afford more online courses.
C）Students had poorer achievement by studying online.
D）Students in high-poverty schools had better achievement.
Q: What is the influence of online learning according to Thomas Kane?
A）贫困社区的学生有机会学得更好。
B）富有社区的学生支付不起更多的线上课程。
C）上线上课的学生成绩更差。
D）贫困地区学校的学生的成绩更好。
问题： 托马斯·凯恩认为线上学习有何影响？
解析 托马斯·凯恩首先比较了贫困社区和富裕社区学校的线上学习情况，发现前者的线上课达到了半年22周，而后者只有13周，然后发现这一差异造成了有史以来黑人学生与白人学生、拉丁裔学生与白人学生，以及贫困地区学校和富裕地区学校间学习成绩的最大落差，由此可推测出线上学习越多，学习效果越差，故选项C为答案。
词汇点拨
disruption n. （学校的）停课；打扰
substitute n. / v. 替代者；代替
Latinx adj. 拉丁裔的；拉美传统的
high-poverty adj. 极度贫困的
No story is more interesting or impressive than the story of architectures, and in particular the activities of human beings when they designed these wonderful buildings. Let’s have a look at these masterpieces in detail.
First of all, did you ever visit the pyramids? The Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped structures located in Egypt. They are true wonders of the ancient world. There are 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. The Pyramid of Khufu at Giza is the largest Egyptian pyramid. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence. Khufu’s pyramid is an impressive 138-meter-high mass made of 2.3 million stones, each weighing about 2.5 tons. （16） It was built to geometrical perfection over 4,500 years ago, with simple stone and copper tools. It was so far advanced that some have suggested it was designed by aliens.
Actually, there is an astronomical significance to the perfect precision of the pyramids. By using two stars that circle the sky polar point, （17） Egyptian astronomers were able to arrange the pyramids due north. This was done because they believed the king’s afterlife and the stars were closely related. They believed their pharaoh, that is, their king, had been transformed into another living being: a light in the sky in contrast to the darkness of death.
OK, now let’s look at another building. It is Athens’s Ancient Parthenon which is an immense temple, built almost entirely of marble. Athens’s Ancient Parthenon is an excellent model of classical Greek architecture. It was built to honor Athena, the immortal of wisdom. Therefore, it included the ideals of logic and reason in its designs.
（18） Built in the 5th century B.C., the Parthenon is made up of almost 140 columns. The Greeks associated the columns with virtues of a human being: strong, orderly, proud, and beautiful. The height and width of the Parthenon are planned with the rational principle of geometry and physics. The upper part of each column is a bit narrower than its base. It sticks out slightly in the middle, and slants inward. This kind of optical illusion makes the columns appear more graceful, and thus more beautiful.
The Parthenon also implies democracy. Each column supports the entire structure, just as each person contributes to the government. It symbolizes that Athens government is democratic.
答案解析
16. A）Because it is the only existed Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
B）Because it is the largest pyramid-shaped structure.
C）Because it is arranged with astronomical significance.
D）Because it is built with simple tools to geometrical perfection.
Q: Why is the Pyramid of Khufu believed to be designed by aliens?
A）因为它是仅存的古代世界七大奇迹。
B）因为它是最大的金字塔形结构。
C）因为它的位置具有天文学意义。
D）因为它是用简单工具建造出的完美几何体。
问题： 为什么胡夫金字塔被认为是外星人设计的？
解析 讲座在介绍胡夫金字塔时提到这个金字塔建于4500年前，虽然只是用简单的石头和铜制工具建造，却是一个完美的几何体，它先进到被一些人认为是外星人设计的，故答案应为D。
17. A）Because they worshiped stars that circle the sky polar point.
B）Because they associated the king's afterlife with the north stars.
C）Because they believed the king would become the god of north.
D）Because they wanted to combat the darkness of the north.
Q: Why did Egyptian astronomers arrange the pyramids due north?
A）因为他们崇拜那些围绕天空中两极运行的星辰。
B）因为他们认为国王的来生与北方的星辰有关联。
C）因为他们相信国王会成为北方之神。
D）因为他们想要对抗北方的黑暗。
问题： 为什么埃及的天文学家要让金字塔朝着正北方？
解析 讲座介绍了金字塔的天文学意义，其中讲到金字塔之所以朝正北方，是因为天文学家认为法老的来生与北方的星辰有着密切的联系，由此可知，选项B的表述符合讲座内容，为答案。文中提到他们相信法老死后会变成北边的星光，而不是死亡的黑暗，并不是要对抗北方的黑暗，故排除选项D。
18. A）Good human qualities.
B）Logic and reason.
C）The goddess of wisdom.
D）Geometry and physics.
Q: What do the columns of the Parthenon stand for?
A）人类的美德。
B）逻辑和理性。
C）智慧女神。
D）几何学和物理学。
问题： 帕台农神殿的石柱代表着什么？
解析 讲座在介绍古希腊的帕台农神殿时提到，它由约140根石柱构成，希腊人认为石柱代表着人类的美德，如坚强、有条理、自重和美丽。由此可知，选项A为答案。
词汇点拨
pyramid n. 金字塔；棱锥体
geometrical adj. 几何的；几何学的
astronomical adj. 天文（学）的；天体的
precision n. 精确（性）；精准化
due adv. 正对着；正向
pharaoh n. 法老
immense adj. 巨大的
marble n. 大理石
column n. 圆柱；柱状物
slant v. 倾斜
optical adj. 视觉的；视力的
A new United Nations report says a lack of education for girls in developing countries may be partly to blame for a rise in poverty worldwide.
（19） The UN released its “State of the World Population Report” last week in Jordan’s capital, Amman. The writers examine the well-being of 10-year-old girls as signs of success or failure of a country’s development. The report says most of the world’s 10-year-old children live in developing countries. In many areas, girls face barriers to good education, healthcare and safety. The report points to problems with continued gender inequality among half of the world’s young population.
Princess Basma is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Population Fund. She told reporters, “In some parts of the world, a 10-year-old girl looks forward to her horizons opening up” so she can reach her goals. But in other places, “she is up against closed doors.”（20） Princess Basma said that girls’ chances for success are limited when their futures are decided by other people or their environment. Some barriers can threaten their safety and social or economic growth.
10-year-old girls in many poor countries face the risk of being married off. More than 60 million girls are not in school. They do twice as much work around the home as boys their age, and they serve as unpaid laborers more than boys do. Every 10 minutes, an adolescent girl dies of violence. Suicide is the second largest cause of death for young girls.
Jordan’s Princess Basma said, “Let us remember that we are all responsible. Let us remember that our every word and deed, positive or negative, can affect the road a girl travels” from this turning point in her life. She continued, “This is what will shape her role in society, which is to say our society, and our world.”
The UN report says that investment in the health, education and empowerment of 10-year-old girls can triple a girl’s lifetime earnings. （21） “Failing to invest in girls is nothing less than planned poverty. Unless we invest in girls, we’re planning to have a poorer future. This is a point that cannot be noted enough”, the report points. The report closes with the message that doing damage to girls is harmful not only to their communities, but to humanity as a whole.
答案解析
19. A）The education of 10-year-old children.
B）The gender equality in developing countries.
C）Health and happiness of 10-year-old girls.
D）The number of educated young girls.
Q: What is the sign of success of a country's development according to UN’s “State of the World Population Report”?
A）十岁孩子的教育。
B）发展中国家的性别平等。
C）十岁女孩的健康与幸福。
D）受教育的年轻女孩人数。
问题： 据联合国的《世界人口状况报告》所述，一个国家成功发展的标志是什么？
解析 报道提到在联合国发布的人口状况报告中，作者把十岁女孩的健康快乐视为一个国家发展成功或失败的标志，由此可知，选项C为答案。
20. A）Because they live in a threatening environment.
B）Because they have no say in their own futures.
C）Because their horizons are not wide enough.
D）Because they are married off at a very young age.
Q: Why can’t some girls have the chance to achieve success according to Princess Basma?
A）因为她们生活的环境非常险恶。
B）因为她们无法掌控自己的未来。
C）因为她们的眼界还不够宽广。
D）因为她们小小年纪就被迫嫁人。
问题： 在巴斯马公主看来，为什么有些女孩鲜有机会获得成功？
解析 报道中提到巴斯马公主认为女孩成功的机会相当有限是因为她们的未来是由他人或者大环境所决定的，也就是说她们自己没有发言权。由此可知，选项B的表述符合报道内容，为答案。其他选项是她们的未来被他人或者大环境所决定的这个限制的多种表现，故排除。
21. A）Poor investment in education would result in poverty.
B）Gender inequality in workplaces leads to poverty.
C）Families with girls would be likely to suffer poverty.
D）Failure to invest in girls means poverty in the future.
Q: How does the UN report explain the problem of poverty?
A）对教育的投入不够就会导致贫困。
B）职场中的性别不平等会导致贫困。
C）有女孩的家庭可能遭受贫困。
D）不对女孩进行投资意味着未来的贫穷。
问题： 联合国的这份报告是如何解释贫困问题的？
解析 报道中联合国的报告提到对10岁女孩的健康、教育和权利投资可将其终生收入增至三倍。之后讲到放弃投资女孩无异于计划受穷。除非对女孩们投资，否则就是打算未来受穷。由此可知联合国的这份报告认为贫困的原因就是对女孩的投入不够，故选项D为答案。
词汇点拨
gender inequality 性别平等
Goodwill Ambassador 亲善大使
(be) up against 面临
adolescent n. / adj. 青春期（的）；青少年（的）
empowerment n. 权利赋予
So the last time we met, we talked about the countries involved during the time of World War I. （22） What we want to discuss now is what impact World War I had after it ended on November 11, 1918. Let’s discuss in particular what took place in America in the period following the war.
In human terms, World War I exacted a very big price, approximately 8.5 million death and 21 million wounded. The total casualty, civilians included, was 15 million. （23） But regarding the soldiers who died, the losses were mostly young, educated middle-class males, men who were meant to be the future of the country. In a span of four years, women were forced to support their households. In a way, this helped give women more right, such as the right to vote, because women helped hold the economy together by providing the labor that companies needed.
Then men who did return were either too injured to work or suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from having witnessed the horrors of war. They defined this as a mental disorder resulting from participating in active warfare. （24） Well, people called these men “the lost generation” because they never really did recover from their condition. The World War I soldiers were depressed and angry. In the United States and Europe, people were deeply affected by what was up till then the worst was the world had ever experienced. Well, in brief, the shock and disillusionment gave birth to various movements, some of which would help pave the way for World War II.
And what were the economic effects? OK, prior to World War I, there was economic decline in the U.S., but during the war, the U.S. experienced a growth in national income because Europe was buying American goods for the war. Then, when the U.S. joined the war, it had to produce more to support its own efforts, and that resulted in a decline in unemployment. Actually, World War I changed the way the American government spent tax money. It began investing in technology and international markets. It changed the way it handled crises. （25） The central planning that America used during the war was used after the war as well. The success that America had in its economic affairs during World War I made the government more confident about its economic plans.
答案解析
22. A）The psychological effects of WWI on soldiers.
B）The effects of WWI on American economy and its people.
C）The influence of WWI on American industries.
D）The relationship between WWI and WWII.
Q: What is the main topic of the talk?
A）一战对士兵的心理影响。
B）一战对美国经济及其人民的影响。
C）一战对美国各产业的影响。
D）一战和二战的关系。
问题： 这次讲座的主题是什么？
解析 讲座开头就提到本次讲座主要讨论一战的影响，尤其是战后在美国发生的事情。后文陈述了战争对美国人、美国经济的影响，由此可知，选项B的表述能够覆盖讲座主题，为答案。
23. A）It compelled women to join the workforce after the war.
B）It made middle-class males be afraid to join the army.
C）It caused widowed women to join peace movements.
D）It was greater than that of all previous wars combined.
Q: What does the speaker say about the casualty of WWI ?
A）它迫使妇女在战后开始工作。
B）它使得中产阶层的男人们不敢去参军。
C）它促使守寡的妇女参加各种和平运动。
D）它的死伤人数要大于之前所有战争伤亡的总和。
问题： 关于一战的伤亡，演讲者说了些什么？
解析 讲座中提到一战中总的伤亡人数高达1500万，且由于死亡的士兵多是年轻、受过教育的中产阶级男性，所以之后的四年里，女性被迫出来担起养家糊口的重担，由此可知，选项A的表述符合讲座内容，为答案。其他三项讲座中未提及，均排除。
24. A）To explain the stigma associated with having fought in the war.
B）To give an example of one reaction of Americans towards war.
C）To emphasize the difficulty of recovering from mental disorder.
D）To provide background for the discussion on mental illness.
Q: Why does the speaker mention “the lost generation”?
A）为了解释参加这场战争的耻辱。
B）为了举例说明美国人对战争的反应。
C）为了强调从心理障碍中恢复的不易。
D）给心理疾病的讨论提供背景信息。
问题： 演讲者为什么要提到“迷惘的一代”？
解析 讲座中提到曾经参战的士兵有的身负重伤，有的因目睹战争的可怕而患上创伤后应激障碍。这些沮丧、愤怒的士兵再也无法完全恢复，因此被称为“迷惘的一代”。由此可知，选项C为答案。
25. A）The success in the international markets.
B）The victories in WWI.
C）The decline in unemployment.
D）The success in economic affairs.
Q: What gave the U.S. government the confidence on its economic plans?
A）在国际市场中取得的成功。
B）在一战中取得的胜利。
C）失业率的下降。
D）经济事务的成功。
问题： 是什么让美国政府对自己的经济计划有了信心？
解析 讲座的最后提到美国在一战中和一战后都采用了集中计划经济，这一经济计划在战时的经济事务上获得了成功，所以美国政府对此有了更多的信心，由此可知，选项D为答案。
词汇点拨
casualty n. 伤亡人员；受害者
civilian n. 平民，百姓
post traumatic stress disorder 创伤后应激障碍
disillusionment n. 幻灭
pave the way for 为……铺平道路，创造条件